Grass Valley, CA: The Sierra Master Chorale and Orchestra present “Sound You Can Feel,” a program of breathtaking masterworks that evoke spring’s energy, warmth, and sense of renewal, on Sunday, May 17 at 2 p.m. and Tuesday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m.
The concert begins like a deep restorative breath, with Mozart’s “Ave Verum Corpus,” widely regarded as a supreme example of Classical choral writing and an uplifting opening to the concert.
The program continues with Vivaldi’s “Beatus Vir,” a large-scale work for double choir and orchestra. It has shifting textures that create a physical sensation of sound coming from different directions and enveloping the audience in a grand, invigorating and cinematic way. The “Beatus Vir” text is inherently hopeful, producing a feeling of being replenished.
SMC tenor David Endicott Hicks is featured in the dramatic, fast-paced aria “Peccator Vedibit,” which is the eighth movement of “Beatus Vir.” Hicks is the artistic director and president of the board of Lyric Rose Theatre Company. He is a graduate of Nevada Union High School, holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, and had graduate vocal performance training from the New England Conservatory of Music. His career includes work on and off Broadway, national tours, and opera appearances in the United States and internationally.
The second half of the program begins with Fauré’s “Pavane.” The opening flute theme is noted as one of the most recognized and haunting melodies ever written. While the music unfolds with lush sweeping beauty, the text carries a subtle societal humor, creating an intriguing contrast between music and text.
The program concludes with Elaine Hagenberg’s “Illuminare,” a five-movement work with a sweeping emotional arc. Shifting between moments of lyric beauty, rhythmic intensity, and reflective stillness, the final movement builds in intoxicating sound and energy. The work is reminiscent of cinematic music, unfolding through a range of emotions and vivid sound painting.
“Definitely one of the most emotionally touching choral pieces I’ve ever sung, and it’s not just because of the lyrics, it gets right down to your core,” noted one SMC chorale member.
Artistic Director Alison Skinner said, “The music on this program is filled with beauty. This is something I felt we need right now, to let this music fill your soul with beauty and hope.”
Julie Hardin, SMC alto and ICS executive director, said learning the music for this program has been unexpectedly restorative and that the choir looks forward to sharing it with audiences.
“There are times, when leaving work, I simply don’t feel like going to a rehearsal,” she said. “But once I arrive, the music takes over, the camaraderie lifts my spirits, and I leave feeling energized and grateful that I made the effort to go. The music is transformative,” she said.
Tickets are $50 for Sunday’s matinee and “Pay What You Can,” with a suggested minimum donation of $20 for Tuesday’s evening performance. Youth tickets (18 and under) are just $5 for each concert.
The Sierra Master Chorale began in 2008 and is part of InConcert Sierra, a Nevada County nonprofit organization that presents concerts featuring the world’s leading and emerging classical musicians, as well as robust educational programs for all ages. Since its inception in 1946, ICS continues to foster a vibrant arts and culture scene in the region.
For more information, call 530-273-3990 or please visit www.inconcertsierra.org.
WHAT: Sierra Master Chorale and Orchestra
WHEN: Sunday, May 17 at 2pm and Tuesday, May 19 at 7:30pm
WHERE: 12889 Osborne Hill Road, Grass Valley, (Seventh-day Adventist Church)
TICKETS: Sunday: $50 general admission, Tuesday: Pay what you can ($20 min.) For
each performance: $5 youth (18 and under)
Phone: 530-273-3990; online at https://www.simpletix.com/e/sierra-master-chorale-spring-2026-tickets-215210 or in person